Boxing: Tapales says he doesn’t fear Inoue

BAGUIO CITY -- Twenty-five days before the biggest fight of his life, Marlon Tapales said he doesn’t fear WBC and WBO super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.

This is due to the extreme pain and sacrifice he has been dealing with in training.

The Lanao del Norte native said: “Sa training ko, alam ko sa sarili ko hindi ako pwede matakot. Sa dinaanan kong training ba naman eh mahirap, pinapahirapan ko 'yung sarili ko. Tapos 'yung laban isang beses lang 'yan eh hindi pa nga siguro aabot ng isang oras tapos matatakot pa ako, tapos 'yung training namin tatlong buwan.”

• Marlon Tapales wants to make history as the first Filipino undisputed world champion

Tapales’s day starts early. At 5 a.m. he wakes up and sips his morning coffee before his arduous road work, ranging from 6-kilometer uphill mountain climbs to flat terrain runs depending if he will do sparring in the afternoon or not.

He will then break bread and have breakfast with his team, eating sinigang na tuna, with sweet potatoes and okra as he is keeping his weight in check as the fight nears.

After which, he will have his midday nap to prepare for his afternoon workout at Shape-Up boxing gym for two hours, the same gym that 8-weight division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao used to train at the peak of his prime.

"The Nightmare" does this six days a week, with Sunday as his day of rest.

As his strength and conditioning coach Quincy Hatcher said while in training it is easy work, Tapales begged to differ.

“Wala naman talagang easy na work... Alam naman natin lahat na walang ganung trabaho. Dadaanan mo lahat 'yung hirap bago mo makuha 'yung sarap. So dapat ilagay mo sa isip mo, sa akin nilalagay ko sa isip hindi pa nga siguro aabot ng isang oras ko na palaging mahirap lahat 'yung gagawin ko. Kung baga partly sa laban alam ko darating na mahihirapan ako pero alam ko na kaya ko i-survive,” said Tapales.

EXCLUSIVE: Marlon Tapales stretches before early morning road work in Baguio City. @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/vd07S6Ac9m

— Champ de Lunas (@champdelunas) November 30, 2023

Tapales isn’t lacking support, with his manager and promoter JC Manangquil not just doing paperwork but is physically present during his morning roadwork at Burnham Park.

“Gusto namin ipakita sa kanya na you know 'yung support namin. We’re all with him with this fight you know, na hanggang sa dulo kasama namin siya at sa simula hanggang sa dulo makukuha namin 'yung goal namin which is to be the undisputed world champion.” Manangquil said.

Tapales’s work ethic is unprecedented. Even before starting training camp in Baguio last November 8, he was already training in the US in preparation for the Inoue bout, which is why, Mananquil added, a different Tapales is seen in training camp,

“Si Marlon naman is always hard worker and focus sa training niya, sa fight niya. With this camp ibang Marlon na 'yung nakikita natin. Kung baga 'yung mga old fights niya sobrang focused niya ngayon. Extreme focus na talaga... The whole day makita mo nasa isip niya is Naoya Inoue lang, the four belts. Ibang level 'yung pinakita niya ngayong training.”

• WATCH: Tapales trains in Baguio for Inoue fight

Beyond his family, he dedicates his upcoming fight to his team who has been giving him everything he can ask for in training camp.

"Sa mga tao na tumutulong sa akin at saka lalong lalo na sa pageensayo ko sa team ko, yung coach ko, sila din 'yung nagbibigay sa akin ng tapang at inspirasyon. Gusto ko kasi pagkatapos ng laban siyempre masaya,” Tapales said.

Tapales has a little more than three weeks before flying to Tokyo where he aims to give Naoya Inoue the first loss of his career.

EXCLUSIVE: Marlon Tapales just started his early morning road work. The high altitude training in Baguio is the first ever in his career. @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/GVuYpLOTLI

— Champ de Lunas (@champdelunas) November 30, 2023